Brilliant Real-Women Tricks for Finding Time to Work Out

Excuses for not lacing up your sneakers come easy, but finding the time to exercise is seriously hard. It is possible, though, so get inspired by these eight busy women who carve out the time to make fitness a regular habit.

Excuses for not lacing up your sneakers come easy, but finding the time to exercise is seriously hard. It is possible, though, so get inspired by these eight busy women who carve out the time to make fitness a regular habit.

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I’d like to make an appointment

I’d like to make an appointment

“I’ve always put health and fitness at the top of my priority list, but as a single mom of a 2-year-old, I now have very little time. But one day a friend said to me, ‘If you want to know a person's priorities, ask them to show you their daily planner.’ That comment made me realize that I’d allowed myself to get bogged down by tasks that held little importance to me, while something that I valued so deeply—my health—had no slotted time. Now I schedule workout times into my calendar and hold to those appointments as strictly as I do business meetings.” — Amy Kuphal, 28, Boston

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Woman with a plan

Woman with a plan

“I have two jobs and work 60 hours a week, yet I compete in marathons and triathlons. To fit in all the necessary training and keep up with my work commitments, I use the Gym Hero app, into which I preload each day's workout the night before, so I can be organized. If I need to swim, I bring all my gear to work so I can hit the pool as soon as I leave. If it’s a running day, I pack my sneakers instead. It keeps me on track, and I am always prepared.” — Jennifer Purdie, 36, San Diego

I’d like to make an appointment

“I’ve always put health and fitness at the top of my priority list, but as a single mom of a 2-year-old, I now have very little time. But one day a friend said to me, ‘If you want to know a person's priorities, ask them to show you their daily planner.’ That comment made me realize that I’d allowed myself to get bogged down by tasks that held little importance to me, while something that I valued so deeply—my health—had no slotted time. Now I schedule workout times into my calendar and hold to those appointments as strictly as I do business meetings.” — Amy Kuphal, 28, Boston

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Woman with a plan

“I have two jobs and work 60 hours a week, yet I compete in marathons and triathlons. To fit in all the necessary training and keep up with my work commitments, I use the Gym Hero app, into which I preload each day's workout the night before, so I can be organized. If I need to swim, I bring all my gear to work so I can hit the pool as soon as I leave. If it’s a running day, I pack my sneakers instead. It keeps me on track, and I am always prepared.” — Jennifer Purdie, 36, San Diego

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I’m a Carrie

"I get really bored on exercise machines, which makes it almost impossible for me to get motivated to go to the gym. To solve that problem, I started working out during lunchtime, when I know Sex and the City is on E!. It’s one of the only things that will keep me on an elliptical for 30 straight minutes. Carrie is my favorite, even though our lives aren't at all similar. But she's smart, funny, and loyal—just like my closest friends." — Sara Coffman, 44, Olathe, KS

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Chop, chop

“I have an 8-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter, and I work full-time. My son is incredibly busy with sports: baseball, football, and karate. It was because of all of his activities that I found the time to work out. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, I participate in karate too. We’ve been going to classes for more than two years, and we’ve both progressed to our brown belts! We’re about a year away from earning our black belts, and we’re having a great time doing it together. Not only is it beneficial for my health, it helps my son and me keep up a strong bond.” — Jessica Hensley, 37, Lakewood, CO

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Buongiorno!

“I’m a lifelong runner, but several years ago I fell off the wagon and had a really hard time getting back into it. There are so many things I want to do every day, and sacrificing them for a run can be hard. My solution was to start using my running time to study foreign languages, which made me feel less guilty about leaving things undone while I exercised. I used audio lessons from Pimsleur and VocabuLearn to study Russian, Italian, and Arabic—and promptly dropped 10 pounds and started racing again. I've kept it up ever since, and on days when I don’t feel like running, I walk instead. The miles keep adding up, and so do my language skills.” — Ellen Jovin, 48, New York City

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Office-ial workout

“Like many people in my office, I sneak out for a yoga class during my lunch hour once or twice a week, and there’s a group of us that runs every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:15. Conversation sometimes turns to work, but more often it’s about life outside of the office, so it’s a great time to unplug and get to know my colleagues a little better. When we need to do a quick brainstorm or problem-solving session, there are three of us who’ve made a habit of changing into our running shoes and ‘walking through it.’” — Nicci Micco, 37, Shelburne, VT

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Dressed and ready to go

“It’s hard to forget you’re supposed to work out when your sneakers and socks are next to your bed as a reminder of where you plan to be. I like to hit the gym first thing in the morning before my mind realizes what I'm up to, so I’ve made a rule that I have to wear my gym clothes until I've exercised. It forces me to get the workout in so that I can get on with the more professional portion of my day.” — Lori Cheek, New York City

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In the nick of time

“After my baby was born, I didn't want to leave her side, so I did exercise DVDs while she slept in a bouncer or swing next to me. Now that she's 2, it’s still hard to find the time, since I have a demanding job and commute more than an hour each day. I've shifted to shorter workout DVDs, like Jillian Michaels' 25-minute 30 Day Shred. I also pop in the Tone It Up! girls' 10-to-15 minute workouts in the morning if I can peel myself out of bed early enough. Finally, I joined a gym less than a mile from my office, so I can go at lunch on days I couldn’t make it happen in the morning. It's tough, but I have much more energy, and I'm happy I don't have to take time out of being with my daughter.” — Amanda Holdsworth, 34, Ann Arbor, MI